Banning hair discrimination, plus 31 other bills Gov. Northam signed into law

RICHMOND, Va. – Governor Ralph Northam announced on Wednesday he signed 32 bills into law.

Among these is House Bill 1514 -- banning racial discrimination on the basis of hair.

Governor Northam stated, "It’s pretty simple—if we send children home from school because their hair looks a certain way, or otherwise ban certain hairstyles associated with a particular race—that is discrimination.”

This bill was sponsored by Delegate Delores McQuinn and clarifies that when the law bans racial discrimination “on the basis of race,” that includes “traits historically associated with race, including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists.”

Delegate McQuinn stated in a press release, "Nobody deserves to be discriminated against simply due to the hair type they were born with, or the way in which they choose to wear it. The acceptance of one’s self is the key to accepting others.”

Here are the other 31 bills Gov. Northam signed into law:

Senate Bill 237: School attendance officers; petitions for violation of a school attendance order.